Norman Tindale estimated their tribal sway as extending over 14,000 square miles (36,000 km2), taking in the area from Stevenson Creek northwards to Mount Dare. To the east they were atMacumba Creek. The Wangkangurru were also present on thelower reaches of the Finke River. The southern section of theArunta (Simpson) Desert also formed part of their territory, while to the southeast, their boundaries ran as far asKallakoopah Creek and theWarburton River. Blood Creek and Atna Hill also lay on Wangkangurru lands.[1]
The Wangkangurru now form an aggregate with theYarluyandi, and are represented by the Wangkangurru Yarluyandi Aboriginal Corporation.[2] Theirnative title over a large area of theSimpson Desert was recognised in 2014.[3]
Mick McLean (Irinyili) b.1888-d.1977) was an outstanding "man of high degree" (minpari), whose erudition regarding the country, languages and culture of northern South Australia - the traditional song cycles and lore extending from theSimpson Desert andDalhousie in the north toPort Augusta andMurnpeowie in the south, from the westernlyIndulkana eastwards as far asInnamincka was highly prized by ethnographers such asLuise Hercus. Aside from English, he was fluent in five Aboriginal languages, a master ofWangkangurru,Arabana and the southern variety ofArrernte, as well as exhibiting a competency in bothDiyari andAntakarinya.[6]
^"Another recorder who had possible hearing defects, or lapses in transcription techniques, was R. Helms (1895). In his account of the aborigines encountered during the Elder Exploring Expedition, he heard [ij] as [gn] and was seemingly tone deaf to initial [n] and [nj] sounds. Thus he gave Yunga for Njunga, Wonkongnuru for Wongkanguru, .."[9] (Tindale 1974, p. 154)
Gason, Samuel (1879) [First published 1874]."The Dieyerie tribe of Australian Aborigines". In Woods, J. D. (ed.).Native Tribes of South Australia. Adelaide: E. S. Wigg & Son. pp. 253–307.
Pauli, W. J. (1886)."Warburton River"(PDF). InCurr, Edward Micklethwaite (ed.).The Australian race: its origin, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia and the routes by which it spread itself over the continent. Vol. 2. Melbourne: J. Ferres. pp. 18–21.
